Green Purchasing is Smart Purchasing

 
 
Green Purchasing is Smart Purchasing
Virginia Mason Medical Center is a prime example of a healthcare center which has saved millions of dollars through smarter purchasing decisions. This Seattle-based hospital saved $3 million in supply costs over three years after instituting a reprocessing program for single-use devices.
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Virginia Mason’s Reprocessing Initiative
Virginia Mason Medical Center is a participant in Practice Greenhealth’s Healthier Hospitals program.
Stryker Sustainability approached Virginia Mason with the idea of utilizing reprocessed medical devices. Reprocessed medical devices are FDA-cleared (and pre-audited for quality), demonstrate the same high level of quality, [and] have a lower total cost and a reduced environmental impact than many single-use devices.  Physicians joined the leadership team to evaluate the devices, including visiting the reprocessing plant and consulting with other surgeons. The group decided to start with a few devices and expanded as time went on. After learning how each device is inspected for quality and held to the highest standard, the team moved forward.
As a result, Virginia Mason [has] reduced purchasing costs by more than $3 million since 2012, reduc[ing] annual waste disposal costs as well as toxins released into the environment.
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